Hickey is first to make call on Hawk-Eye

The use of Hawk-Eye technology by the GAA is to be welcomed, according to prominent referee Rory Hickey from Ennis.

History was made at Croke Park on Saturday evening last when the goal-line technology was in place for the first time.
The game in question was the Leinster Senior Football Championship clash of Kildare (winners) and Offaly, which had the Éire Óg man in charge. In the coming years, the question may be asked at quiz competitions, who was the first GAA referee to call on Hawk-Eye to decide if a ball was inside or outside the upright.

During the second half, referee Hickey ‘went upstairs’ to check whether an effort by an Offaly forward was inside or outside the upright.
“It was in the 46th minute when an Offaly player shot for a point from the Cusack Stand side of the grounds. My umpire, Michael Kelly, signalled to me that he wasn’t sure, so I signalled that we were calling on the technology to make the decision,” the match official told The Clare Champion this week.

The technology is only in place in Croke Park at present but it’s likely to be installed at all major grounds in the not-too-distant future.
“It certainly will help and it’s the way to go but it might be more for hurling, particularly in relation to very high efforts,” according to Hickey.
“It’s a good development and we welcome it. It’s a comfort for referees that they can call on Hawk-Eye,” the well-known dual official said.